Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

Agree. Our societies, from production to consumption, are now tech-driven and we now mostly depend on technology to link the producers to the consumers and every other parties involved in this space. This provision will provide a very important platform and linkage that is critical to information-sharing of best practices that everyone can contribute to, and benefit from. It will connect and provide more leverage and impetus to food and nutrition security in all forms. 

English translation below

Les technologies mobiles doivent être mises à contribution pour réussir le défi de la e-agriculture. Il faut utiliser les résultats de la recherche et ne recourir à de nouvelles recherches qu'en cas de nécessité. Je vous propose déjà ma thèse de doctorat pour exploitation. Technologies mobiles en milieu agricole

Nous devons utiliser tout le potentiel des drônes pour la facilitation du travail du producteur. Ensuite, les réseaux de jeunes spécialistes des TIC et du marketing peuvent être mis à contribution pour la commercialisation. Il faut un partage de rôle pour l'efficacité de l'action. Nous avons par exemple la plateforme de promotion de l'ananas pain de sucre du Bénin qui met les acheteurs en relations avec les vendeurs. affaire mobile Bénin

The use of mobile technologies must be harnessed to meet the challenge of e-agriculture. It is essential to use the results of research and start new research only when necessary. In the meantime, I am submitting my doctoral thesis for your use. Technologies mobiles en milieu agricole (Mobile technologies in agricultural environments)

Drones must be used to their full potential to facilitate the work of producers. Then, networks of young ICT and marketing specialists can be mobilized to commercialize the products. It is necessary to share roles to ensure the effectiveness of the action. One example is the Benin Sugar Loaf Pineapple Promotion Platform, which connects buyers with sellers. affaire mobile Bénin

English translation below

J'ai le plaisir de vous faire parvenir ma contribution concernant l'utilisation des technologies de l'information dans l'agriculture. (version FR et EN)

Meilleures salutations.

Bouzidi.M

I am pleased to send you my contribution on the use of information technology in agriculture. (FR and EN version)

Best regards.

Bouzidi.M

This is welcome step, considering the rapidly changing agricultural landscape. The older generation in developing countries may not find it much useful but the youth may find it attractive option to get constructively engaged in agriculture since already they are using too much of  Social Media, for fun. Unless agriculture is data driven, it is simply a way of life where profit is not taken into account. Unless we do farming as business, we are not likely to benefit from it. We need more agripreenurs than simply the farmers. For this to happen, digitalization is a must. We need to take into consideration-access, avaialbility, afforadability and content updating in digital arena. The concept note prepared has mentioned about this but at the level of implemetation, monitoring would be required to ensure inclusiveness. 

https://medium.com/@UN_CFS/can-social-media-lure-youth-into-agripreneurship-e67fcdaac695

Stratégie nationale pour l’e-Agriculture au Bénin 2020-2024

Potential entry points for government to address challenges and foster the development of digital agriculture:

Nowdays agricultural services and input can and are acquired from other countries. Digital agriculture should focus to act across borders. To do that the Council should be designed in a way that harmonises guidelines from different countries and come up with common entry points that fit in different countries.

This is one among the long awaited initiative by the FAO particulary in Tanzania, the country agriculture sector has been making efforts and policies to intergrate itself with  digital solutions.

I believe the council would find its place on solving the agrifood system challenges in countries such as this. As the country population continues to swell and  climate change is further increasing the risk in food production, we surely need to formulate sustainable plans to feed the growing population. With digital inclusion this objective is likely to be met. With this remark, yes I believe the roles identified for the digital council will contribute to a large extentent in addressing the agrifood systems challenges.

What are the potential entry points for government to address challenges and foster the development of digital agriculture?

• Availability of digital agriculture and geo data base.
• GIS & RS Graduated staff (capacity building) for such digital data base (data collector, data entry and data analyzer …etc.).
• Cooperation or data exchange between farmers and agriculture / statistics extensions.
• Ability for data base updates & harmonization.
• Financial resources: formulation & running cost for the structure of digital agriculture unit.
• Financial resources: survey / gathering and frequently updating the data base.
• Digital data accessibility between the unit staff and/or between the stakeholders.
• Capacity building for the unit staff (policy and technical staff).       

How can the establishment of the Digital Council address the numerous barriers to adoption of these technologies?

• By creating an environmental present / prediction maps (land, water & land suitability, land use …etc), road map for marketing and investment map.
• If the data are accessible to different governmental sectors & to stakeholder.
• If the data are within acceptable cost for the users.
• Build up a trusted report through international consultant. 

Do you think that the roles identified for the Digital Council are suitable for facing the agrifood systems challenges outlined above?

In addition to the CN for this section: I think through modeling (SWAT), we have to add (Policy & Alternative for a certain crop production in a certain region) in order to increase agricultural production and productivity.

What governance structure should be in place in order for the Council to serve its purpose?

Director

            Executive Council                                                                                  International Coordinator

Advisory Committee

Secretariat

Policy Maker                     Technical staff (modeling & mapping)                                     Data analyzer

In pursuit of establishing an international digital council for food and agriculture, we cross yet another degree where we face the useful reality to certain aspects we know of social media platforms. It is another pivotal moment of deciding how much power online council, online currency and online voting power we should allow. It is another moment where we may not be doing anything accept performing bureaucracy.

For myself, it has seemed curious how for years we can not facilitate an individual citizen; accurate vote on individual issues and tax dollars spent, when the means do so through social security numbers (and a few numbers) has existed more than a decade.

Total voting regulatory power could sit well within the now very popular block chain technologies, and this all bates mention of a Panama colleagues' Producers Market token, an agriculture v.s. digital technology solution. I happen to have an inside look at the team here and the king of this Hill, more or less selected to my knowledge and likely overall success, by my favorite teacher - and this type of selection in this case certainly, does not come to the undeserving. This model could be extremely proactive in promoting better agriculture that does not harm biology and wildlife.

If I am understanding the Producers Token platform right it would [c] essentially function as a marketing engine for the council itself, and for small transparent organic farmers within the ranks. [d] Food distribution costs can be saved and gained by the consumer and the producer who would be able to connect through the network. It is really quite perfect / even very much so for Nutritional Diversity Diet enthusiasts, who could through a network like this arrange there private food purchases for the required high food biodiversity.

I have enjoyed being one of the more abstract contributors to these important discussions. I also enjoy coming from a standpoint which I feel is correct. Not to get too ahead of things, ....

What about a really proactive council, to reforest using permaculture's food forest model, disaster stricken lands, etc. To educate cattle farmers how through permaculture models and not too much more on investment, can have there cows and and whole bunch of other goodies too.

If we can expand our hopes and aim to something of this nature, the smart phone app iNaturalist, seems to be a great functioning database reference for plant species and could play an integral role in bringing humanity back in touch with nature and back up knowledge Parr on functional foods. It is with kind of knowledge that we can live in harmony with nature instead of at odds with it and obtain individual freedom and sustainability.

Can this international council body dare to create insanely incredible ecology to our beautiful world?

As a technical "digital" body can we task ourselves to develop waist collection and conversion technologies -very easily online shared open source development potentials.

In many ways if we don't have the focus on the species,  what are we doing.

If we are focusing on the species regional climate category groups would be able to harvest seed and use young species to supply ever expanding permaculture installations.

A joint efforts standard agreement could be a good fixture. For example should a poor farmer convert and work /grow on certain owned property for 50% take of produce. This could be great to see abandoned pasture or tragically destroyed lands be productively utilized easier. This type of job could be a great path for troubled youth.

Thanks and respecfully,